Too Close For Comfort
by PurlpePanda605
Summary: Spencer discovers that his job isn't always the easiest one in the world. Jason offers him an escape... I wanted say that the summary doesn't accurately descibe this story.
1. Chapter 1

I took this thing down to edit it. I didn't realize my breaks weren't showing up... I didn't change anything else though.

Beta'd by: the-vampire-act

I don't own anything...at all

I wanted to say thanx to those who reveiwed this... so **THANK YOU! :D**

* * *

"You do know that it wasn't your fault." The voice sounded distant even though its owner was sitting in the leather seat adjacent to his.

"Wasn't it?" Dr. Spencer Reid wasn't usually this melodramatic, but given the current situation, he felt it was justified. _Not __justified_, he thought slowly, mentally correcting himself,_ but it wasn't unreasonable._

If only he had been smarter….Spencer winced at the thought; his intelligence was what had messed them up, not the lack of intelligence. He had read over their partial profile, and in a rare case of overestimation, he had completely misjudged their UnSub. The team had been working on the case for four days; they were all more than frazzled, so when Spencer had made the suggestion they all just assumed he was right. They had trusted him.

Needless to say, he had been horribly wrong. Because of him they wasted an entire day and even had caused of the local officers to get shot. He remembered with a wry smile that he wasn't supposed know that. The cop had been fine, but he wouldn't be walking on his own for a while. Luckily, the UnSub finally screwed up and they were able to bring him in. Thankfully, there hadn't been anymore victims.

"It was an honest mistake." Gideon's usual 'matter of fact' tone did little to ease his irritation, and when Jason placed what he was sure he felt was a comforting hand on his shoulder, Spencer felt like screaming. His jaw tensed reflexively, and the older man let his hand fall back into his lap.

_If Morgan had caused a problem like that... _Reid thought idly, closing his eyes and leaning back against the plane's cream-colored headrest. The cool leather did wonders for his headache, and he was finally able to let his thoughts wander. It wasn't that the team had blamed him, but just the opposite. They had all claimed the fault- even Hotch.

Eventually, the team all agreed that they were tired and shouldn't had accepted his observations without reasonable cause and…. Well, he should have known better.

XxXxXxX

Jason was worried. He had been working with the FBI for over 12 years now, and he knew by now what happened when you took cases too personally. The key to excelling at the job was to care during the case and leave it on your desk at the end of the day. His brilliant Spencer, his protégé, was suffering because no one had ever taught him that even geniuses could make mistakes.

It really hadn't been that bad. Jason had told him to try to find the UnSub's primary location using his killing zone. Spencer had followed precedent right up until the end. He had been in the middle of spouting information at the team- something to do with a cold case from back in the fifties- when he had stopped in the middle of his sentence and started writing on the legal pad located on the wooden table in front of him. He wrote for a solid minute before walking over to projection board toward where their map was currently being displayed. He made a few quick adjustments and started circling things and connecting dots. The team had watched in mild amusement-they had seen this many times before. They didn't bother asking for any explanation since they knew one would be provided as soon he was finished. Sure enough, after a few moments of intense scribbling, Reid turned around with triumphant smile. The long-awaited explanation soon followed even though no one was completely sure they understood it.

They had gone with it though, and the next morning they released the police force a very inaccurate profile. Morgan and Elle had watched a vacant house for a full six hours before Hotch called them back. They went back to the profile and took Reid's intelligible scrawls down. Jason spent the next hour reworking the profile to get the proper location, and he had just finished when the sheriff came in to inform him that the man had been caught and that they could go back home. The sheriff, Ronie Patterson, wasn't a pleasant man to deal with when things in his small town weren't fine, and trying to get any information from him was usually like trying to get water from a stone. However, that afternoon, he had been positively chatty, reminding the team every few seconds that they had barely been more than an inconvenience to the force and that if that last girl's body hadn't been over the Nevada border they wouldn't have been there at all.

Reid had been silent the whole time, his only reaction being a small wince every time the inaccuracy of the first profile was brought up. After a while he had just ducked his head low enough to keep his hair in his hazel eyes and kept going, helping pack the case files into their corresponding boxes and then silently disappearing back into his hotel room to repack his stuff. Jason had been busy gathering as many pertinent details as possible, and he had eventually found out about one of the deputy's getting shot. He had asked if that information could be kept from the young agent, and the request had been met with a surprising understanding. Luckily, they had been able to spare him that much more guilt.

He knew Spencer was an adult. Intellectually speaking, he had probably been an adult since he was about seven years old or possibly even younger. His mother had checked out before he had hit nine, and Gideon knew after that he had mostly raised himself. Knowing these facts didn't stop Gideon from feeling the ever pressing need to take care of his subordinate. If anything, knowing them had increased it. It made him want to protect him from the few things he didn't know about- the things you only learned from painful experience.

XxXxXxX

Spencer woke with a start; his heart was pounding and his palms were sweaty. His nightmare still clung onto the edge of his thoughts. He shook his head in attempt to irrationally dislodge the images from his head. Checking his watch, he saw that he had only been sleeping for about an hour. It was a nine-hour flight and everyone else was either still asleep or reading. Gideon was still sitting beside him, a book with its pages laying down on his chest with his eyes closed. He thought back over his now fuzzy dream. They had been on another case, and he had made a mistake and somehow managed to kill everyone- except Gideon. But when he had tried to talk the older man, he had just started screaming at him, saying it was his fault and that he was never right.

Rubbing his hand over his face, Spencer told himself that his dream was impossible at best and ridiculous at its worst. He started when he heard the unmistakable whispering sound of a page being turned beside him.

"I thought you were asleep." The words burst out before he could stop them, and he realized that they sounded more like an accusation than a question. "Sorry."

Jason carefully marked his page before turning to face Spencer. "It's okay. I was thinking, not sleeping."

Spencer nodded silently. He turned to stare out of the window for a few seconds before he spoke again.

"I _know _that I just made a mistake and that logically no one person can ever be fully be responsible for a situation, but-"

"But you still feel responsible."

"Yeah." He turned to face his mentor, blinking back unshed tears. " I just wanted to know if it ever ... " He trailed off despondently, rubbing at his eyes tiredly, "Never mind."

"Spencer," Gideon waited until he had turned back to look at him. "It does get better."


	2. Chapter 2

So...still the same stuff,

* * *

Spencer spent the next few days in something similar to a daze. He went to work, gave a minimal input, drank his coffee, went home to his empty apartment, and slept. He tried his best not to think about anything deeper than whether he wanted to wear his blue shirt or his green one. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he was ignoring the big purple elephant in his world, but that was just how he dealt with issues.

He was still messing up. It was a vicious cycle- a self-fulfilling prophecy if he had ever seen one. He was so worried about making mistakes that he wasn't focusing on his work, which in return caused him to make careless errors. Thankfully, it had been a slow week, and so he was able to catch the majority of them before they were sent off. Still, it hadn't gone unnoticed.

He had been sitting at his computer, staring blankly at the words on the screen. He had been reviewing the incident, as he had started calling it, trying to pinpoint his exact mistake every time it happened. Shaking his head, he realized that he needed to stop worrying about it. He glanced over at his empty mug and with a shrug decided that the walk to the break room would be a nice reprieve from the glare of his screen.

'How Garcia manages to spend all day staring at monitors and not go completely insane…' Spencer thought as he walked back to his desk. He sipped his coffee, enjoying the warmth that it spread through him. He smiled- he was beginning to see the light at the end of his seemingly never-ending tunnel. His good mood was shattered, however, when he sat back down at his computer. A bright yellow post-it note was stuck to his dark screen.

_I want to speak to you. _

_-Gideon _

The note was simple, painfully so. What could his superior want to talk to him about that he couldn't give him a little more information about? Notes in the BAU were usually half a page long, and they very rarely needed to actually _talk_ with you.

XxXxXxX

Jason was worried. It seemed like he had been a lot lately, but it was difficult not to. All week long Spencer had been drifting further and further away. He knew he was still antagonizing over the last case. His reports had come in earlier, and while they had been technically correct, they had also been riddled with self criticism. He had edited the papers quickly before committing them to the records, which had put him behind as well.

Sighing, Jason realized he had been staring at the last sentence on the screen for a at least five minutes and still had no idea what it meant. Spencer wasn't the only worry on his mind, Jason acknowledged as he opened up a new webpage.

He rarely thought of Brendon, but when he did it never boded well for his stress levels. The boy's birthday was getting closer, and no matter how hard he tried Jason couldn't get the boy out of his mind. He found his customary invitation with ease and skimmed through it without reading. He was about to refuse when he realized the solution to his current crises was reveling itself.

_Jason, _

_Brendon wants a party at the Center this year. He asked me to invite you. It will start this Saturday around noon. Hope to see you there. Feel free to bring a guest. _

_Ryan_

_P.S. He misses you._

He hadn't seen Brendon in two years and after their rela-, arrangement had ended he had turned his back on the entire lifestyle. He clicked on the small box marked reply as he tried to decide whether or not he had missed it. He decided he was ready to give it another shot, that is if Spencer was willing.

XxXxXxX

Spencer stood in front of Gideon's closed office door. It wasn't that he was too nervous to open it, it was just that his mind and thoughts had been all over the place lately and… Sighing at his own idiocy, he knocked gently and waited patiently. The door opened soon, and Spencer waited until his superior was seated back behind his desk before speaking.

"Gideon, about my reports…." he began feebly, fidgeting in the chair.

"This has nothing to do with your reports," Jason corrected quickly. He knew Spencer was nervous, and it hurt him. The boy hadn't been tense around him since he had been working alongside him.

Spencer felt his nerves settle, and his head tilted slightly with his usual curiosity. "What did you need to see me about, then?"

Now it was Jason's turn to be unsure; he realized how ridiculous his next question would probably sound, but he had already started talking, "I've been invited to a … party- and I can bring a guest."

Spencer stared blankly at the older man, waiting for the part of the conversation that would make sense.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?" Jason explained hastily, realizing that even though Spencer was a certified genius he was still a little clueless.

"Oh." The aforementioned genius flushed faintly and stared down into his lap. A million excuses and polite refusals swarmed his brain at once, and somewhere between thinking that he was no fun at parties and that Gideon was his boss, Spencer heard himself ask, "When is it?"

Gideon supplied the exact date and time quickly as if he were worried that Spencer would retract his acceptance. A small smile lifted the corners of Spencer's mouth when he heard that the older man would pick him up at his apartment. He hesitated before asking if there was anything else he needed to talk about. At the distant nod, Spencer's smile dropped and silently he left his mentor's office.

* * *

Anyone else love p!atd? I decided that in my world that Ryan never left. It's nicer that way...


	3. Chapter 3

"Same shit, different day..." Cute Is What We Aim For

* * *

Spencer stared at the small alarm clock beside his bed, willing it to go off so he could get up. It was early Saturday morning- 9:55 to be exact. Five more long minutes… He knew that realistically speaking he could get up whenever he wanted, but getting up early seemed a little desperate, even for him.

"Although," he thought, snuggling down into his downy-soft maroon comforter, "it's not like I'm desperate, I'm just…excited." He had had dates before, just none that he had actually looked foreword to. It helped that his date was Gideon, since he harbored no small crush on the older profiler. Spencer frowned slightly at his thoughts. There he went-drifting off into a fantasy realm.

"Not a date…not a date….not a date…." he muttered irritably to himself. He had turned the short sentence into his mantra since last Thursday, as it was the only way he could stay sane. Glancing back at his clock, Spencer saw that he had managed to think through exactly four minutes. He counted down the seconds in his head, and at ten o' clock on the dot, he jumped out of bed. He showered quickly, taking care to scrub the excess gel from his hair. Afterwards, he stood in front of his closet biting his lip in mild irritation.

The towel he had loosely wrapped around his waist slipped lower, and Spencer took a second to appreciate the fact that he lived alone. He contemplated letting the towel hit the carpeting, but walking around naked -even in his own apartment- wasn't really his style. Spencer refocused his ever-drifting mind and stared back at the pitiful contents of his closet.

He realized he had little to no casual clothing; he had five pairs of corduroys, three pairs of khakis, and around thirteen sweater vests. Normally, it didn't really matter' he only really went to work, the supermarket and the library but today he wanted to look a little different. Finally, after searching through his dismal wardrobe, he found a pair of dark wash jeans, and when he paired it with a plain white shirt he figured he looked ... presentable. He walked across his bedroom- back to the bathroom. He brushed furiously at his hair, hoping against reality that for once his short locks would stay neat without him using tons of gel. He applied a bit to keep the edges from curling up but mostly just brushed it down.

After fastening his watch on, Spencer decided he was done. Completely dressed, he left his room and headed toward his kitchen. When he checked his watch he realized it had only take him about forty-five minutes to get ready. He sighed in resignation; he was never gonna make it until noon.

XxXxXxX

Jason stared down into the black depths of his white coffee mug and stirred in a spoonful of sugar slowly. He took care not to think about anything except stirring in a precise counter-clock wise movement. He refused to worry. It was Saturday, and he was determined to enjoy it. His house creaked and groaned as if to say that if he wasn't going to worry the house would do it for him. He stared at his watch; he had already decided to leave at about eleven thirty. That would give him time to grab a present and pick up Spencer.

Sipping at his still bitter breakfast, Jason wondered if Spencer had eaten anything. Then he wondered what the hell he thought he was doing. He knew he had to be crazy to drop Spencer headfirst into a lifestyle that he himself had abandoned. He also knew he had no real reason to inject his young co-worker into this section of his life, but he didn't think he was imaging things when he _felt_ something more. Spencer was young- maybe even a bit naïve- but contrary to popular belief, the boy wasn't completely oblivious to the outside world.

He felt his thoughts drift, and he again wondered if Spencer had eaten. He checked his watch for a second time and realized that if he hurried he could take him somewhere. It was a little presumptuous, but he would do like he always did in situations where he was unsure. He'd just go with his instincts and pray for the best.

He stood and quickly poured his coffee down the sink drain. He checked his face in the hall mirror, grabbed his jacket and the keys to his car. Locking the door behind him, Jason just barely realized that he was again following his instincts again and right now his instincts told him he was going to breakfast.

XxXxXxX

Spencer turned on his computer, smiling at the thought that occurred every time he booted it up. He was a certified genius, and working at the BAU meant he wasn't exactly poor- though obviously not rich-and yet he still hadn't gotten himself a new computer. The one time Garcia came to his house she had threatened to put the poor machine out of its misery.

He didn't use it much, and so to waste an insane amount money on a computer seemed stupid to him. 'I really only use one site' he thought as he kept clicking, knocking down pop-ups and update messages. He had been too nervous to eat, so he figured he could use the time he had before Gideon showed up to the best of his ability.

When his desktop was finally clear he pulled up the internet and logged on to Guardian Island. He checked his message box, not surprised to find it empty. He wasn't a major player in the age play scene so he rarely got messages. He checked his personal ad, again not surprised when he found it untouched. He sighed in mild irritation. If he had to say about eighty percent were girls and of the guys only about five percent were "little".

Most of the guardians said they wanted a girl, or if they did want a guy, they wanted someone who was in diapers most of the time, and that wasn't his style. He sighed again and shut down his computer.

The doorbell rang sharply, startling him out his pity-party and jolting him into action. He immediately thought it was Gideon, but when he checked his watch it was only eleven. He hurried to the door, running his fingers over his hair self-consciously.

He opened the door, and when he saw that it was indeed Gideon, all the casually witty things he had been planning to say fled from his mind. He just looked at him, wishing he could say…_anything_. Gideon stared back at him, waiting for him to speak. Seconds before the silence got really awkward, Gideon finally said something.

"Hey."

The simple greeting broke the silence, and Spencer's nerves calmed quickly enough for him to respond. This was still Gideon, the only person who seemed to understand him.

"Hey, come in." His eyes were still looking everywhere but Gideon's eyes. He didn't know why but even though he knew him, the setting was enough to throw him.

Gideon looked around slowly, assessing Spencer's apartment carefully. Spencer wasn't sure why, but he cared what he thought. He pleased but not really surprised when he saw Gideon nod in approval. It helped to loosen his still tied tongue.

"So-"

"I-"

They had actually spoken at the same time, Spencer thought mentally shaking his head. Gideon smiled ruefully, and after a second of silence, he spoke.

"What are we doing? I was going to ask if you had eaten." He paused for an answer, and when Spencer shook his head no, he continued. "Then I was going to ask you to breakfast." He waited for an answer patiently.

"Sure, breakfast sounds… sure" His voice had raised slightly in pitch and he bit his tongue, cursing his nervous habits. He had already decided this wasn't a date and know Gideon was inviting him to breakfast.

"Gid-" Spencer began.

"Call me Jason today." He corrected quickly. He usually preferred his last name but today he wanted to get rid of the work related authority his name encouraged.

Spencer started again, "Jason, I… " He trailed off, deciding that his next question wasn't important. He was just gonna go with it. Grabbing his keys he walked past Jason and out into the hallway. He smiled back at Jason, who was still standing just inside the doorway.

"You coming?"

With a nod and a small smile, Jason was followed him out the door and into the elevator.

* * *

The end seemed a little rushed to me but I'm satisfied with it.

oh and to the person who asked what a guardian was; its exactly what it sounds like...a babysitter, older sibling, parent...just someone who looks out. Any other questions just send me a pm or something


	4. Chapter 4

Hey there! Took me long enough, huh? Well here is a new chapter for ya'll. Enjoy...

* * *

Jason stared down at the laminated Waffle House menu indecisively. He usually detested chain restaurants, but he always made an exception for this place. Spencer and himself had finally rid themselves of the horrible awkwardness that had been plaguing them and were back to their normal ways.

'Or at least we would be' Jason thought, 'if the boy would just talk to me.'

Spencer had said exactly sixteen words since leaving his apartment and only four of them had been relevant to the day. He had asked where they were going to eat, and he had responded then by merely nodding his head and slouching down into the passenger seat while staring at his hands. Jason had ignored it at the time, but now it was getting annoying.

"Spencer." He waited for the younger man to make eye contact before he continued. "You've known me for over three years now. Talk to me."

Golden brown eyes darted around the mostly empty room before Spencer finally just sighed and confessed.

"It's just that…I have no idea what we're doing, no clue as to where we're going, and… I just really don't want to read too much into today." He trailed off into an obviously tense silence.

Jason took a second to reexamine his actions of the last few days, and with a rueful smile he saw just how confusing and evasive he had been. He knew how much Spencer hated not knowing things. It was enough to drive him crazy.

Spencer sipped nervously at his coffee while he waited for Jason's reply. He had laid almost all of his cards on the table. In response, he was rewarded with silence. After a full minute of no one talking, just as Spencer was about to brush his words off as silliness, Jason spoke.

"Spencer, I'm… sorry. I wasn't thinking. What do you want to know?"

"What is this?" He gestured to the two of them and then the restaurant all together. "I mean, is this just breakfast…or more?" Spencer glanced away; he had always been able to tell when someone lied. Their eyes gave them away, and for once he wanted to just believe what was said.

"Right now, just breakfast. If after the rest of the day- if you want it to be more-then maybe we can try again."

The younger agent nodded, not exactly loving Jason's answer but accepting it as honesty nonetheless. He forced his eyes back to the man and attempted a smile. "We should probably order something."

Jason started to say something but seemed to change his mind just as quickly. He had already waved the waitress over when he realized he wasn't actually hungry. His stomach felt knotted and knew if he ate anything it would just make him feel worse.

He still placed an order for Spencer and, finding the lightest thing on the menu, himself. The conversation flowed though, as they didn't delve past the surface this time. Spencer talked about the last book he had read- Jason about how he had added a new bird to his photo collection. The older man had asked how his mother was at which Spencer had just shrugged. She wasn't doing better, but she hadn't gotten worse. They left the topic as quickly as it had been brought up.

XxXxXxX

The drive to the party was mostly silent, Spencer was willing to speak now but they didn't have anything left to say. Talking about trivial things was more difficult than they had originally thought. Neither had eaten much but after about ten minutes of picking at their respective plates they had both pretended to be stuffed. Jason, having invited Spencer in the first place offered to pay, but he had been politely refused.

Now Spencer was sitting beside him again, staring out the window. He held back a sigh and turned on the radio, hoping that the music would help soften the silence. It didn't but it did give him something to think about. Other the thoughts that were still reverberating around his head. He was insane; years and years of peering into the thoughts of criminal's had finally driven him to insanity. It was the only reason that he would think bringing Spencer to an age play party made sense.

Jason had spent the last three days convincing himself that this would be a good thing for the younger man. He hadn't let the idea that he was being selfish even cross his mind during the day time. But at night, alone in his bed the thoughts had attacked him with vengeance. He had called himself stupid, a pseudo pedophile, anything and everything he could think of to deter himself and still he had shown up that morning. It was pathetic.

Spencer stared out the window, his considerable mind was racing. He knew the buildings flying by. It was a predominately residential area, with short well clipped lawns. The streets, although he had last traveled them on foot, were as familiar as ever. The Center was right down the next block, as they drove further and further down the street, he wondered idly if they would pass by the townhouse. It was a beautiful brick building, he was ashamed to admit, even to himself, that he had no idea when it was built or by whom, but that was part of its magic for him. At the Center he wasn't a genius, he wasn't a profiler he was just…Spencer.

They got closer to the house, close enough now that Spencer could see that there were cars parked directly in front, and there was still space in the whitewashed driveway for one more car. Jason slowed down and carefully maneuvered his car into the space. He made sure he was in the spot perfectly before shutting off the engine. He appeared to be bracing himself for an explosion of sorts. Spencer was trying not to have an anxiety attack. He focused his breathing, trying not to alert Jason to the fact that he was about to hyperventilate. This was his sanctuary-his own personal retreat. What the hell was Jason doing? How did he know about this place? Spencer wondered if the party was taking place here. He knew for a fact that they didn't rent the place out. He unfastened his seatbelt slowly, taking care to appear as natural as possible.

"You okay?" Jason voice sounded unnaturally loud yet distant at the same time.

He was vaguely aware that he had mumbled something in return, though he had no idea what it had been. He took a final deep breath and decided to play the situation as cool as possible. He tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear and opened the door.

Jason stood stock still at the door, the wrapped gifts pressed uncomfortably into his side. He was usually happy to be here; it was a fun place with a friendly, almost family-like atmosphere. He already knew why he was tense, so he didn't bother trying to analyze it. He promised himself that if today blew up in his face he was done. He would take a weekend off, drive up to the cabin, read a book, take a long walk, fish…anything he wanted. It was enough to get him out of the car, at least.

He turned to Spencer calmly and said, "Things may be a bit…_different _than what you're used to, but if you keep an open mind…I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself." He waited for a response as he turned and rang the bell.

Almost immediately after, a voice called from behind the door. "The kingdom where nobody dies?"

"Childhood." Jason responded loudly. Spencer had mumbled the word under his breath, unable to keep quiet.

The heavy red door swung open, a thin guy standing as he opened it. He was short and dressed simply in a t-shirt and skinny jeans. His dark brown hair was shaggy and hung down into his eyes, but his smile was open and obviously welcoming.

"Hi, Jason. Brendon's already opened most of his presents, but he'll be thrilled that there's still more to come. He's been asking for you all morning."

Ryan's head turned, and a slight breeze caught his hair, ruffling it up. His eyes had been carefully lined in black, and he was probably wearing mascara. It look should have made him appear feminine, but somehow he managed to pull it off. He smiled up at Spencer, recognizing him instantly "Hey, stranger. Where have you been?"

Jason's sharp intake of breath was almost unnoticeable, but Spencer had already been listening for it. Ryan chattered away happily, not realizing that the duo was paying him absolutely no attention. He ushered them in finally, and only then did he notice their corresponding frowns.

"What's up with you two?" He asked, keeping his tone light as he regarded them carefully.

Spencer and Jason just continued to stare at each other, both asking silent questions that they were both to afraid to have answered.

* * *

Oooo...what happens next? I know but you don't... mwahahahahahaha!


	5. Chapter 5

See look I can update stuff. Seriously thanks to all those who are still reading this thing... I got some new ideas for some CM fics and I'm putting up a poll 'cause I can't write both right now.

Anyway here's the chapter.

* * *

"Look guys, whatever it is," Ryan began, looking at each in turn, "deal with it later. Bren's been waiting for you Jason, and you're not going to make him unhappy-not today." He gave them each a look of warning before he turned and walked away. Spencer let his eyes wander around the familiar entrance hall, tracing the muted red brick walls and the hand-drawn pictures taped sporadically on them. He stared at the carpeting for a while, noticing how it was a soft off-white color. The whole area was pretty much a neutral. He looked at the coats lined up against on the wall before sighing softly before he finally turned back to Gideon.

He was met with a volley of questions, the most important ones being, "how long have you been going here, and how did you find this place?" Spencer ignored the one about if he wanted to leave. He was already here and to leave now would just be stupid.

"I've been coming here for about two years now, and I found out about it online." He hung up his coat and smiled softly at Jason "You?" He sounded almost hopeful. He didn't think he'd get an answer, but he felt it was worth asking.

"I've been coming on and off for the past twenty years. I haven't been in about a year though. " Spencer frowned- he wasn't sure what but something about Jason's statement was off. He let his mind float over everything he knew about the Center. Before he had ever gone to the actual building he had scoured the websites. Getting whatever information he could find, he had stopped his search shortly after his first visit. It was then when he realized the place was the real deal and not some cash scam or weird sex club. After a moment of thinking he realized what was wrong.

"But the Center has only been here for sixteen years." He didn't sound accusatory, just curious.

"_Officially_."

Spencer didn't have a response for this, so he simply stopped talking. His coat was put up, and he could hear laughing in the next room. He chanced a glance over to his mentor as he wondered if Jason had anything else he wanted to talk about.

"We can talk more later, if you want to," Jason said just moments later. Spencer swore the man could read minds.

He nodded- he was nervous but not overly so. He had been thinking, as usual, and the bottom line was that if Jason knew about this place, then he knew about the lifestyle, and if he already knew about it than the strangest part of his life was already in the open. He decided to just go with it; he realized he had been doing that a lot. At least with Jason.

XxXxXx

Spencer couldn't let go. He hadn't been this tense since the first time he had started coming. He was sitting in a folding chair, watching the crowd and, god help him, profiling them. He didn't want to do this, but his brain wouldn't shut down- it just couldn't. He was ready to scream.

"You okay?" Jason was standing behind him while leaning over the back of chair to be heard over the din of about twenty people all talking and laughing.

"Not really," he mumbled honestly, watching the group not a little enviously. He glared up at Jason, "It's your fault, you know," he began, "you're ...messing it up."

Jason came around the chair and crouched calmly in front of the younger man. He looked him over once, taking in the way he was sitting, denfisive, with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes looked everywhere in the room except Jason's own, and he while he wasn't pouting yet, he was coming dangerously close to it.

Jason's thoughts raced; he wasn't sure how best to react, so he decided to err on the side of caution and simply ask.

"How am I messing it up?" He kept his voice and gaze steady, trying his best to ignore the way his stomach was knotting. He was nervous, understandably so. He was treading on untouched ground in the personal life of his subordinate, all while at an age play party. He'd have to be insane not to be a little nervous.

"You... you just _are_." Spencer stated angrily. He felt a little dizzy; he hadn't been this mad a moment ago.

Sure he had been frustrated, but now he was just angry and it was Jason's fault. He wasn't supposed to be there. Every time he tried to let go, Jason would catch his eye. He would think about the fact that he still had paperwork to finish and then would start profiling and categorizing. He couldn't shake work off and it was all Jason's fault.

Before he had a chance to think his words completely through Spencer realized he had started speaking. "Fix it. You keep messing it up, so you should fix it." He started blushing; he hadn't intended to say all that. He bit his lip, irritated that he couldn't keep quiet. He stared off embarrassed as he took care not to make eye contact.

Jason was confused. He knew what Spencer's problem was; he just wasn't sure how to fix it. He scanned the room for ideas. He knew that a misstep right now would be a disaster. Too little and he wouldn't make an impact, too much and he'd over balance the situation. He took a deep breath to stall for time. He had an idea; he wasn't sure it would work but he had to try.

Spencer was desperate- his brain felt like it was arguing with itself. One side kept saying that he had work to do, that Gideon was just testing him, the other side that he was being stupid and that Jason wouldn't do that. That side also kept pointing out the fun other people were having. Brendon was flipping through his birthday cards with Ryan; both of them kept smiling and laughing. One of the guys he had spoken to at other functions was currently dressed up like a piratre and kept challenging the other party goers to fights with the fake plastic sword attached t his belt. He stopped people watching and stared down at his shoes, waiting for Jason to say something.

"Spencer," he started, standing up and reaching out a hand. "Come on."

Holding back a sigh, Spencer let himself be pulled up from his seat against the wall. He followed Jason across the room, keeping quiet until he stopped at a vacant card table.

Jason pulled a nearby chair closer to the table and motioned for Spencer to sit down. Once he was seated Jason walked away without a word. Spencer twisted around curiously, trying to figure out what Jason was doing. Shortly the older man returned with a small, brightly colored, plastic box in his hands. Spencer blushed again when he realized what it was.

Legos.

Jason reached the table and opened the box. He carefully poured out all the whole box onto the chipped blue table. The colorful little bricks made clicking sounds as they fell; a few hit the floor, but Jason ignored them in favor of getting another folding chair. He sat down and immediately started fitting pieces together. He could feel Spencer eyes on him, but he resisted the temptation to look at the younger man. He almost sighed in relief when he heard Spencer pick up a handful of pieces and started building in earnest. As he listened to the almost rhythmic sounds of Spencer's Lego's he allowed himself a smile.

XxXxXx

A spaceship. Spencer was building a spaceship. He fumbled through the pieces of blue and red, searching a green one. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew exactly what he was doing, but for some reason he couldn't keep a firm grasp on that part of himself. He thought about it for a second and decided he didn't really want to. He stopped building for a second and looked over at Jason; he opened his mouth to ask a question but realized he didn't know what to say. He kept staring, hoping that Jason would get it.

"Did you finish your ship?" Jason asked, looking up from his own creation. He had most of a yellow house built and finished. It was very neat, almost boring. It looked nothing like the colorful mass of blocks Spencer had decided to call a spaceship. He looked around for a second before trying again to talk.

"Can I...Go play with someone else?" Spencer's speech pattern didn't really change much; it was just his voice- it sounded smaller, almost lighter.

Jason hadn't expected that question; it stung a bit but he thought he masked it well.

"If you want to." He kept his tone light as well. If Spencer was ready to get up and socialize he wasn't going to stop him.

"Will you come with me?" The next question surprised Jason even more. He hated the feeling that he was playing something by ear. For all of his free-styling at work, he really preferred a plan in his personal life. He knew where he wanted this thing to go, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever actually get it there. He had maneuvered them into a situation where all he could do was react. He had only built the house to keep himself from staring at Spencer and possibly making him uncomfortable. He knew he had debated too belong with himself when he heard Spencer give a resigned sigh. He managed to find a smile, trying his best to soothe his nerves as well as the boy's feelings.

"Of course I'll go with you."

Spencer didn't bother trying to hide his smile.

* * *

A/N: I just wanted to say that I loved writing this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

So first things first I need to give the worlds biggest thanks to my awesome beta the-vampire-act for making this thing legible. Seriously I couldn't tell you how horrible writing this chapter was, and yet...

Anyway, I didn't know the story was heading this way and then it did. I see about ten more chapters. Just a heads up.

Disclaimer: I bought Reid on Ebay for 60 bucks and I'm currently bidding on Hotch. I don't own the show though, just Spencer! YAY delusions!

* * *

Jason spent the rest of the party with Spencer never more than ten paces behind him. He started to question why, but one look at his usually introverted colleague having fun, laughing and joking with his friends silenced him. He kept sneaking glances at him, too. About every five minutes or so Jason walked more than a few feet away from him, and Spencer would look up and try to catch his eye. If he succeeded, he just smiled a little, like he just wanted to say hi.

Spencer was free falling, or at least that was how he felt. His insides were all fluttery one second and then the next they'd calm back down. He was having fun, a lot of fun, but he was a little scared too. 'Well, not scared but... Nervous, Spencer thought as his stomach flipped again. He wondered what Jason was doing, and he looked up trying to find him. He couldn't see him right away and his stomach whirled uncomfortably. He had been talking to someone but could feel himself slipping further and further away from the conversation as he searched the surrounding crowd for Jason.

Whoever he had been talking to-he thought his name was Eric-sighed and Spencer tried to apologize and refocus but he couldn't stop looking around.

"Who you lookin' for?" Eric asked, biting his lower lip.

"My..." He paused carefully, "Jason- I can't see him." Spencer gave up all pretense and wandered away from Eric, calling out a halfhearted 'see you later' over his shoulder at the last second.

He scanned the crowd; it wasn't a huge party with only about two dozen people, but it was loud and everyone was moving. He walked the whole room twice and still kept looking, even going so far as to finally ask Ryan if he had seen him. The shorter man pointed to a plain door just off the main area. He said that Jason had disappeared inside about twenty minutes ago. Spencer made his way to the corner of the room where the door was and stood in front of it. He didn't know why Jason had left, and before he let himself think it through, he twisted the handle and yanked open the door.

XxXxXx

Jason was falling fast. He had waited until Spencer was occupied before slipping away. He had to think and it was borderline impossible to think in the midst of Brendon's party. He thought back over his brief time with Brendon; they had never really connected. They had cared for each other of course, but Brendon hadn't been able to interest Jason much beyond play. He had been sweet and kind but the boy couldn't hold a serious conversation to save his life. Not like Spencer.

Jason slumped into the small couch tiredly. He let his eyes wander around the small room; it really was tiny. There was a small table, two folding chairs, a very basic first aid kit with a two-seater couch- a love seat, really. He closed his eyes, wishing he knew what to do. He wanted Spencer; that much was clear to him. He had wanted him as soon as he had gotten to know him. The man was beyond intelligent, somehow still innocent despite their line of work. He was a damn good chess player and more than good looking. He had managed to stay strictly professional, with the exception of a few chess games, because he convinced himself that Spencer would run screaming at some of the stranger aspects of his life.

After spending the last few hours with Spencer he knew he was screwed. After Brendon, he had been done. He had left the lifestyle and decided that, barring an act of fate, he was finished. Admittedly he had pushed fate along, but Jason realized he was glad he did. He wondered if Spencer had a regular play partner, if he even wanted one, or if he played regularly at all. He realized the only way to find out was to ask him. He resolved to do so after the party was over. He checked his watch and let out a sigh; when was the party going to be over? He wondered if Spencer had noticed him missing; he probably hadn't. Jason had made sure Spencer had had friends around him before he disappeared.

"Still," he mumbled to himself, dragging a hand over his face. "I should get back. It is a party." He stood up from the couch and brushed the nonexistent dirt off of his pants before walking to the door. It swung open before he even touched the knob.

XxXxXx

Spencer stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind him. He stared silently at Jason for a moment before speaking.

"Why'd you leave m...the party?" He glossed over the end of his sentence quickly and hoped Jason didn't notice.

"I needed to think." Jason filed Spencer's initial sentence away. He didn't want to think about what it might mean for either of them.

Spencer didn't know whether he was relieved or disappointed that Jason didn't question his own question, but he decided it didn't matter either way. Spencer knew he had a crush on Jason; he had for almost two years now. He had never let his mind drift over thoughts of Jason and playing, but now...He wasn't sure he would be able to stop it. He honestly wasn't sure if he wanted to.

"What were you thinking about?" Spencer asked, trying to settle back into his adult self. It was harder then he'd thought. For him being little was a lot like being drunk, and he couldn't quite control himself. He talked a lot more, and he asked too many questions. He needed to be able to think clearly right now.

'You.' Jason thought. He didn't actually answer the question, but he had shaken his head as soon as it had been asked.

Spencer didn't bother to answer, only nodding his head a little so that Jason knew he was listening. He swept a cursory look over the small room, then turned his attention back to Jason.

"Are you having fun?" Jason asked, wanting to go home and be done with the day.

"I was, but I'm pretty much done for the day. Maybe we could get a coffee or something, unless you're busy." Spencer stared down at his shoes, as if they had secrets written on their frayed laces.

Jason almost smiled at Spencer and his fumbling request. He started to decline but when Spencer looked up hopefully, he found himself agreeing.

Spencer's answering smile made him wonder why he ever wanted to say no.

XxXxXx

Spencer was mad. Brendon was still saying goodbye to Jason, and he was clinging to his side and whining about something. Spencer had already said his goodbyes and was know staring at the back of Brendon's head while making faces. He wasn't sure why he was so annoyed; he only knew that he was. He tried to hold back his attitude, but when Jason finally detached himself from the little parasite, Spencer couldn't contain his relieved sigh.

"Can we go now?" His good mood had been thoroughly broken, and now all he wanted was a coffee, a good book, and his bed.

Jason raised an eyebrow; barely acknowledging Spencer's question, he kept talking to Ryan, telling him that he'd be sure to stop by sometime soon. He hugged Brendon once more before heading towards the do . He ignored Spencer's sighs until they got into the relative privacy of the vestibule.

"What's wrong Spencer?" He did his best to sound curious and not accusing. He knew that pushing too hard right now was wrong, but to completely ignore his actions could be worse.

"Brendon." Was his short reply. He knew he was being a little mean but he didn't care.

Jason smiled a little, having guessed as much. "What did he do?"

Spencer glared, misinterpreting the smile. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper under control. "I...He… I 'm just mad at him." He knew it wasn't completely honest, but he wasn't really sure why he was so mad.

"Come here." It wasn't patronizing- it was more like a suggestion, really- but Spencer realized that he was a little mad at Jason too.

"No." He folded his arms across his chest defiantly.

"Why not?" Jason was a little lost, he backtracked over the afternoon, trying to find something he had done wrong. He couldn't think of a thing.

"Cause..." Spencer felt his voice drop down into a whisper. He knew he had to be blushing. "You kept on hugging him..."

"Was I not supposed to?" Jason asked calmly.

"I... I don't know..."

"C'mere Spencer."

Again he noticed it sounded more like an offer rather than a demand. Spencer took a few steps despite his irritation. Without warning, he was being hugged-not very tightly, but it was a hug nonetheless. Something tight in his chest loosened a little, and when Jason let him go Spencer realized he wasn't as mad at Brendon anymore.

Spencer smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry. I guess I was just-"

"It's okay. You still want that coffee?" He wasn't going to linger on the subject longer than necessary. When Spencer smiled his gratitude he knew he had handled things properly.

"Sure." His favorite shop was only a few blocks away, anyways, and the evening was still young,

XxXxXx

Spencer stood in the middle of his tiny living room, still grinning like a fool. Jason had just dropped him off.

They had spent half the ride to his house sneaking glances at each other, only to look away the moment the other noticed. They had set a tentative date set for the next weekend, which Jason had actually asked him to. Dinner and a movie-it was bit clichéd, but it worked for him. He wondered if it would be too girly for him to spin around. He decided that it was but he just couldn't stay still. He opted instead to dance his way to his bedroom.

Singing under his breath, he wiggled and shimmied his way into his white and green tiled bathroom. Still bouncing, he stripped naked and began running the hot water for a bath. He usually despised baths,-sitting and marinating in his own watery germs did nothing for him-but after a really good day, especially one at the Center, he loved them. He usually went all out.: bubbles, his favorite (non-coffee) drinks and even had some of his favorite music playing. He usually preferred lyric-less, classical music, but tonight he dug out his coveted RENT soundtrack CD. He set it up in the bathroom's little stereo system, skipping ahead to his favorite track before setting the whole CD to repeat.

"Live in my house, I'll be your shelter..." He knew he was way off key but it was just him in the house. Besides, he never had been a brilliant singer. He briefly wondered if Jason sang in the shower, then reminded himself that he really needed to stop acting like a teenage girl; all hopeless and giddy. Yes, he had a date but he was still a grown man and he needed to act like it.

The tub was finally full and with a soft sigh he slid chin deep into the frothy hot water. He was thankful once more for the special tub he had gotten, it was a whole foot deeper and eight inches longer than a standard bath tub and it had been worth every one of the million extra pennies he had been charged for it. It had taken him, Morgan and the delivery guy a whole half an hour to carry the heavy monstrosity up the three flights of stairs to his apartment, then him and Morgan another two hours to hook the damn thing up. His friend had bitched the whole time, it had taken the promise of a free meal to get the older man to finally shut up. but it was worth it.

XxXxXx

Jason lay awake in bed that night with covers pulled up to his chest as he stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully. They had had a great time all evening. The conversation after the party had been easy, and they had managed to steer clear of any awkward silences. They had opted to walk down to where Spencer had told him the best coffee in the whole universe was made. The coffee shop Spencer had chosen was really more like a diner, so they had just selected something from the full dinner menu when his mouth had decided to rebel against his common sense.

Why had he been so stupid? He had asked his much younger, male, subordinate on a date. Not a simple "go to a party with me" date either but a real "wear something nice, I'll pick you up at seven thirty sharp" date. He was fucked.

And he had never been more excited.

* * *

Anyone still reading? I hope so, next chap some serious stuff happns


	7. Chapter 7

Beta : the-vampire-act

Disclaimer: If I owned CM... heh... Nope.

I didn't fall off the earth. I did move and other stuff happened but I'm back and I brought 2 chapters with me! Yay guilty writing!

And so we go...* I admit to not being able to write Garica. But I loved her too much to not have her here. Just, don't be too harsh with me.

* * *

Spencer stared sadly down at his admittedly pathetic wardrobe. He was 25 and owned exactly two pairs of jeans and had three t-shirts-two of them had stars wars references. _Obscure _references. He bit his lip nervously as helooked down at watch. He knew what he needed to do; he just_ really _didn't want to have to do it.

He heaved a sigh and grabbed his cell phone. Speed dial four. He pressed his thumb against the button and waited.

"Speak and be heard."

"Garcia,I need a favor."

"And what does my boy genius need assistance with today? Are you finally going to upgrade that paperweight you call a computer? " She sounded hopeful.

He ignored her question, took a breath, and said, "Ineedyoutogivemeamakeover."

A soft static was all he heard followed by a sharp squeal and something that sounded suspiciously like clapping.

"I'll be there faster than you can say skinny jeans."

"Actually, since it takes less than a full second to say... Hello?" Spencer shut his phone and sighed. "What are skinny jeans?" he mumbled aloud.

XxXxXx

Jason stared at his chosen outfit. Black slacks, a red and white pinstripe button-down. He scrubbed both hands over his face. What was he doing…? He had a son the same age-actually, Steven, was a couple years older than Spencer. He shook his head a few times to clear it and went back over his plans for the evening. It was just dinner and a movie, but he was still nervous.

He checked the top of the dresser again, running his fingers idly over the tickets. The movie was in French, and while that meant he would miss about half of it he figured Spencer would enjoy the chance to translate the movie. He hoped he wasn't trying too hard.

XxXxXx

"Garcia, I said makeover... not throw away all my clothes!" He stood behind the bespectacled blonde, trying to catch the clothes that continued flying over her shoulders. "I-I'm not like you... I can't wear bubbles and feathers."

She turned to face him, hearing the tone of absolute dejection in her friends voice.

"Oh baby, you don't need feathers...and even I've never worn bubbles... Reid, who are you trying to impress?" She re-arranged his hair, tugging a few strands so the part was even.

He dealt with her fussing, thankful it wasn't a hug. He never knew how to react to those. His mind flashed to last night and silently amended, 'well maybe sometimes he did.'

Seeing his smile, Garcia's curiosity imploded. "C'mon, you have to share... Is it a guy?"

Spencer blushed, and looked away. "Why do people just assume I'm gay?

"A girl then?"

"... Weren't you supposed to be helping -."

A knowing smile lit the techie's face. "Spill it, kid." She grabbed his arm and held him in place.

He was red as a tomato and practically stammering as he said, "It's... Jason..."

"As in Jason Gideon! Our-"

"Yes that Jason. Stop laughing at me..."

At her friend's heartbroken expression her giggles died. "Oh, I mean, if you like him then by all means."

"Please Garcia, can you just help me look... decent?"

A funny almost sad smile quirked her red mouth "Reid, if Gid- Jason asked you out it's 'cause he likes_ you_. Obscure t-shirts and all. But I'll still help. First stop the mall."

An hour later, Reid stood nervously in front of the full length dressing room mirror with Garcia peering over his shoulder.

"You, my junior g-man, clean up quite nicely."

"I don't look too bad do I?" He tugged self-consciously at the hem of his jacket sleeve.

"Too bad?" Garcia snickered and wandered away sing-song-ing, "Someone's getting laid..."

A vague spluttering sound was all she got in return.

XxXxXx

Jason adjusted his shirt cuffs again. He stood in front of the mirror staring critically at his reflection. He didn't look bad. He grabbed the small bottle of cologne of his dresser. It was expensive, he sighed as he splashed a bit into his palm. It had been a gift, and it was the first time he had even opened the bottle.

He inhaled the fragrance deeply. It was still way too expensive but at least it smelled worth it. He smelled good. He looked good. He was ready to go. He grabbed his car keys and headed to the door, turning off the lights as he went.

He slid behind the wheel, fiddled with the radio for moment. He was checking the rearview mirror before he realized he was procrastinating.

"C'mon Jason," he muttered aloud. "You've gone on dates before and you know Spencer's interested. Just drive." He pulled out and headed out towards Spencer's apartment.

It took hours and seconds, but somehow Jason managed to reach Spencer's place with a few minutes to spare. He took a few deep breaths before getting out. He locked the car door behind him as he walked up the wide steps.

He stood and stared at the buzzer panel helplessly. The numbers were there but he couldn't find Spencer's name. After frantic scanning he found it. In the bottom corner, untidily scrawled on the tiny slip of paper he saw _S. Reid 3F_. He jammed down the button and waited.

"Hello?" The voice sounded tiny and distorted.

"Hey,it's Jason."

"Oh. Hang on..."

A few seconds and then a loud grating buzz.

"C'mon up."

Jason opened the main door and headed for the elevator. The elevator ride was somehow like his car and seemed to be both slow and instantaneous. He got out at the third floor and started checking letters. He found Spencer's quickly and then stood in front of the door. He knocked and smoothed the front of shirt down again.

There was a faint scuffling noise and then he could hear the sound of a dead bolt sliding. The door swung open.

Wow.


	8. Chapter 8

Beta : the-vampire-act

Disclaimer : CM belongs to someone, who is very lucky, rich and not me...

* I know Gideon was a bit flustery in the last chap, but he's been out of the dating scene and who wouldn't be a bit nervous on a date with Spencer... but he should be back to normal by this chap

* * *

Spencer was getting a bit nervous. He and Garcia had both agreed that he looked good. He had even hit a salon after the dressing rooms and gotten his hair restyled. It wasn't to different but he looked a bit more put together. But a full thirty seconds had passed and Jason still hadn't said anything.

He was just kinda staring... oh. He smiled a bit. "Like it?" He asked managing to sound confident and maybe even a bit flirty.

Jason cleared his throat and said "Very much so."

A tiny thrill shot through Spencer at the compliment. He looked over Jason andbit the inside of his lower lip. Jason always looked good but tonight... Garcia's singing popped back in his head and he blushed a bit as he realised he hoped she was right.

"You look really good."

"Thanks... We should probably get going."

"Oh right. Just lemme, grab my keys." Spencer disappeared and Jason used the moment to compose himself. He was pretty sure he had started drooling.

He stepped further back into the hallway, so Spencer could lock the door and resorted to counting bakwards in his head. Spencer's ass encased in those jeans should be illegal. It was already sinful.

He shook his head and started down the hallway toward the elevator it was going to be a long night.

XxXxXx

"But the whole point of the movie was that you can't restrain something like Ricky. He wasn't really of that world and to keep him there, even if it was because she loved him was... just unfair to him."

Jason nodded, "I agree to a point but he was still an infant. Not to mention she was a bit strange to begin with."

Spencer hmm'd in assent and glanced around at the mostly empty sidewalk. "Where are we going? It's on the corner of this block. I thought the walk would be nice. I can still get the car."

It was a well lit street. It was only about eight and it was still seeing decent traffic. He shrugged, content to just enjoy the evening.

XxXxXx

"I'll have the baked chicken with the vegetable medley." Spencer said hestitantly. He knew what foods he liked but there were a few things he didn't care for.

"Steak, potatoes and the garden salad." Jason ordered quickly, smiling up at the waiter politely.

the conversation flowed nicely. they alternated between work and books, anything that occured to them;

Spencer picked at his vegetables. He liked the carrots, and the snap peas but what were the weird little seed filled disc bits. He cautiously stabbed it with his fork. It deflated a bit but it didn't seem to openly resist. He bit the little peice of green and immediatly fought the urge to spit it back out.

It was fuzzy and bitter. He made himself chew it. He then proceeded to push the offensive little bits to the side of his plate. It was like a disected caterpillar.

He ignored them and focused on the rest of his meal and the current conversation at hand.

Jason prided himself on being observant. He had to be, otherwise he wouldn't have a job anymore. So it didn't really surprise him when he noticed patterns in the way Spencer ate. What did surprise him was the way the younger man seemed determined to seperate every sigle okra from the rest of his food. Resulting in a small pile of the green vegetables on the edge of his plate.

He smiled a bit. "I take it you don't care for okra.

"Hmm..." Spencer was distracted and he answered quickly "No they're icky." he flushed pink "I mean, no, I don't like them very much."

Jason's mouth quirked up into a full-fledged grin, "No, icky works as well as anything else."

Trying to swallow his sudden embarressment , Spencer fell back on facts; " Did you know that originally a 'restaurant' wasn't a place at all but a bowl of thin 'restorative' soup served in establishments known as bouillon." Seeing the polite smile he ducked his head, "Sorry, its a bad habit."

"No... when did it finally become a resturant?"

Spencer smiled. "Not until 1765. But it was only because..."

XxXxXx

Jason sat in front of his television, the sound was up but he wasn't sure what was playing. His mind was whirring over the last hour.

He had driven Spencer home and it had been going good. He hadn't dated himself to badly and it had seemed like Spencer was still enjoying his company. They had laughed over the horrible music on the radio and then abandoned the thing altogether. They had talked the whole ride and when they reached the apartment he found he wasn't ready for the evening to end.

Conversation was easy with the younger man, he didn't always get the seemingly random facts he spouted off with, but he did find them interesting. And apparently he listened.

"You can't really want to know what happens next..." Spencer had said, looking down at his hands.

"Why can't I?"

"No one ever does... Everybody just smiles at me and waits for a chance to slip away without it being too... mean. Except Morgan. He just tells me to shut up, or just looks at me until I do."

"Well, I'm not Morgan. What happened next?"

"Well... He married her."

"His own sister...?"

"Half sister and to be fair he didn't know."

"Huh. So the moral would be."

"Love conquers all." Spencer had fallen silent then, presumably to busy blushing to say anything else.

He had turned around then, trying to see if Spencer was serious. He heard Spencer's breath catch and sensed, more than felt the younger man's eyes flicker shut. Jason leaned close and cupped his hand around Spencer's jaw and then a soft press of warm lips. It was simple, sweet. He pulled back, and checked Spencer's expression.

A small smile had blossomed across his face.

"So...I had fun. We should do this again..."

"We should."

"... I'll see you?"

"I'll call you tomorrow."

Spencer fiddled with the handle of the car door. "Goodnight Jason."

"Night."

So how was one of my first kissing scenes?

This is what Spencer was dressed like in my brain... If there's no pic then its the one with him in a dark suit jacket with a red vest underneath and jeans...


	9. Chapter 9

Beta: the-vampire-act.. Still awesome! Uhm an A/N: If people are still reading, drop a review... I'm writing and not sure if I still have an audience.. I know i was gone for monthes but just a quick note to let me know thanx! _

* * *

It had been exactly three days, four hours, and sixteen minutes since Jason had kissed him, not that Spencer was counting or anything. Nope, not counting and certainly not pining for another kiss. He re-convinced himself of this fact while he got his second cup of coffee. He was stirring in sugar when he got back to his seat. His mood brightened, however, when he sat back down at his computer. A bright yellow post-it note was stuck to his dark screen.

I want to talk to you.

-Jason

A wave of nostalgia hit him. True-it was three-week-old nostalgia, but it was sweet nonetheless. The note was almost exactly the same, but the few subtle differences made him smile. He sat his mug down and headed towards Jason's office. He poked his head into the open door.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I did. Come in."

Spencer stepped fully into the older man's office, closing the door behind him. Jason was smiling at him and leaning against his desk calmly.

"Was there something you want to ask me?"

"Yes. Brendon's party? Would you be interested in more time spent like that?"

It took the young genius a moment to de-tangle Jason's convoluted sentence, but after a few seconds he smiled.

"I wanna do a session with you, but I like you too and..." he trailed off, gesturing with his hands.

"You don't think it'll work out?" Jason folded his arms and waited for a response.

"I think it's more likely to go wrong than if we stuck to one relationship..." He didn't sound unwilling, just hesitant.

Jason's mouth quirked up into a smile and his arms fell back down to his sides. "Trust me."

"I already do." Spencer's answering smile was a little shy, but it was there.

Jason pushed off the desk and took a few steps forward, he brushed a light kiss over Spencer's still closed mouth,

Pulling back a bit, Spencer licked his lower lip and, sounding slightly scandalized, he murmured, "We're at work..."

"I know."

XxXxXx

Things progressed in that vein the rest of the week with stolen kisses and shared lunch dates. It was paperwork time now, which was done on the computer because the office was switching from paper which in return meant JJ had files to archive before she could even send the team on a case. And, thankfully, that meant that they had schedules that made sense.

Jason and himself had decided that next Saturday afternoon was the best choice for a session. And honestly Spencer was happy for the few days of preparation. He hadn't played in his own apartment yet and he wanted to protect his stuff from himself.

The rest of the week was spent organizing. He put away his more expensive books as well as his few glasses and otherwise delicate figurines. He put important folders and files in a box and stuck the whole thing in his closet. And then, that Saturday, he got out his toy box.

It was really just a glorified storage bin, but it had stickers and cut out pictures pasted all over the sides. He dug through it carefully, feeling a faint hum of excitement buzz through him.

He had so much stuff: action figures, puzzles, cars, and the play-sets that went with them. A few board games were in there too with about half a dozen books, the thin kinds with more colorful pictures than words. A smaller box with crayons, more stickers, construction paper, scissors and glue rested at the very bottom. He was going to have so much fun.

XxXxXx

Jason finally felt comfortable again. The last three weeks or so had been fun but uncertain. He liked knowing which way was up and this weekend was going to 'hep' that. He got up from the couch and stretched, thankful that his job kept him in shape.

He didn't know whether or not Spencer planned to do a lot of running but he could handle it if he did. He realized he didn't much of anything about what to expect today. His certainty dipped and with it went his mood. Spencer had been fairly docile at the party but he had been nervous. What if he decided to run wild today? Could Jason respond properly if he did?

He dropped back down on the couch while he though about it. He contemplated whether or not he could spank Spencer if it came to it. He took a deep breath and decided he could. He didn't really_want_ to but he could. And that was what mattered.

He looked at his watch and saw it was time for him to head out. He stood and checked his clothes. He nodded and grabbed his keys off the peg by the door. He was ready no matter what happened.

He pulled up to Spencer's building and took the now familiar elevator ride and hit the doorbell.

XxXxXx

"So... how does this work?"

"I thought you had done this before?"

"Yes, but never with just one person and never in my apartment. I usually just hung out at the Center..."

Silence fell as Jason looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well we could create a scenario, or we could just work out a list of rules and go from there. A lot of it is your choice..."

"A scenario would be good. Do you have any ideas"

Jason was quiet again, he was thinking again. Honestly he was profiling, categorizing what he knew of Spencer with his current observations. The issue wasn't a lack of ideas but trying to decide which one would benefit his "charge" the most. Some people wanted disciplinary attention, others wanted sexual undertones... or both. Jason stifled his distaste. Some wanted a playmate, and then some wanted... _more_. He nodded to himself as he made a decision.

"Do you prefer a sexual angle at all?"

Spencer looked a little sick. He didn't even speak, just shook his head until his hair fluttered.

"What's your age range?"

"Six." The answer was instant. Spencer flushed a bit, "I can go younger but it's not as...

"I understand, don't sweat it."

"I - Not to sound... Do I have to call you anything in particular?"

A small smile "Jason is fine."

The last little bit of the tension drained from Spencer's posture and he smiled a bit more openly. "Can we start now?"

"I never gave a scenario..." Jason was a bit confused, Spencer had gone from tense to practically bouncing in a few seconds.

"I thought of something..."

"Last thing, what's your word?"

"...Sneetches." He said quietly, looking at his hands. He hated this part; people always laughed- respected his choice of course- but laughed nonetheless.

"Why?" Jason asked calmly.

A quick glance upwards before sighing "It was the first book I actually wanted to read. My mother was... picky about what I read and so I knew all the classics by the time I was six. One day we went to the library, and before she could tell that Dr. Suess had been a bigger fraud than Mark Twain I had checked TheSneetchesout. I had finished it in five minutes but kept it the whole week anyway."

Jason pressed a kiss to Spencer's forehead before asking, "you ready to play?"

_ Is anybody squicked by sex and Jason existing in the same paragraph? I basically wanna know how much and how far I can write without offense...


	10. Chapter 10

Beta:The-vampire-act

A/N: Reviews... are these relics of the ancient past? I write as you read... So how will I know what you wanna read if you don't tell me? Just fair warning, ask and ye shall recieve... At any rate a big thank you to the people who did review... you guys make it worth it

* * *

He was alone. Jason said he was busy making lunch, so that meant he could play for a while. He was currently bouncing on his bed, which was the really awesome springy kind. It was great for jumping, but Jason said he couldn't jump on the bed. So Spencer figured he would compromise. He looked at the partially closed bedroom door and grinned. He bounced higher.

Jason wandered tiredly down the hallway. They had done everything from movie watching to reading too many Dr. Seuss books. As a consequence of the latter, however, his thoughts were now rhyming. But Spencer would enjoy his lunch, a homemade pizza. It wasn't hard to do, just potentially messy-Spencer had earned that much of a reward.

"Spencer, come to the kitchen."

"I'm coming..."

He figured Jason was far enough down the hall to squeeze in a few more bounces. He knelt low and let himself spring up into the air.

Then door swung open.

"I said ... _Spencer_..."

Landing back down on the bed with a muffled thump, Spencer's mouth dropped open. He quickly pasted on a smile. "Jason, I was just coming for lunch…."

"I told you no." Jason's arms were folded, and he wasn't smiling. In fact, he looked almost sad.

"I was... you just said I couldn't jump..." Spencer blustered. He looked at Jason, who stared back resolutely. "That's not fair! I didn't do 'nothing wrong!"

XxXxXx

Jason wasn't angry. He was barely disappointed; he had expected and even hoped Spencer would push. Pushing was good. Pushing meant he trusted Jason not to run away at the show of disobedience. Not that he was looking forward to this. Well, not much.

XxXxXx

Spencer was draped halfway across the couch and Jason's lap. His hands were ballled into fists, and his face rested against the soft couch cushion.

He listened but couldn't hear anything other than Jason's steady breathing. He thought he would hear the sound of a paddle or maybe a belt creaking, but nothing.

After a moment Spencer understood why no belt, or paddle, was needed. Jason's hand hurt all by itself. Heavy, solid smacks that shocked him. He sucked in deep breaths only to get them whacked back out of him. His bottom was on fire. Even through his underwear it burned.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry..."

There was a brief pause in the steady spanks as Jason asked quietly, "What for?"

Spencer took a deep shuddery breath; he wasn't crying yet, but he did feel awful. "F -for... I-I knew what you meant when you s-said no jumping a-and I did it anyway…and then I yelled at you and I'm sorry..."

A hand suddenly brushed over his hair softly. "All over Spencer."

"Can I... I don't wanna..." Spencer fumbled with his words for a moment before blurting, "Can I still sit by you?

"We can do one better," Jason remarked, helping Spencer flip over until he was settled in his lap.

"You don't mind me sitting here?"

"I sat you there, why would I mind?"

"Jason?"

"Hmm?"

"Do I have to be a grownup now, or..." A yawn ended his question before he was finished.

"You can take a nap first."

"Thank you Jason." Spencer snuggled in a bit closer. He was asleep within minutes.

XxXxXx

Jason smiled at his slightly awkward lapful. He sifted him a bit closer, trying to get comfortable. He was already taken in by this side of his lover. Spencer was softer like this, easier in a way. He had still rattled randomized facts, but it was more along the lines of how many Spock figures were produced in a year, 3,100, exactly. Well, unless a special series was released.

He didn't read any of the books he had, just stared at the pictures and at Jason while he read. He had colored half a coloring book before bouncing up from the table and grabbing a chess set. He hadn't played like he usually did. He usually used a strategy, or at least the basis of one. This time he had just moved his pieces around. He had won two games like that, before Jason had finally told him to go wash up for lunch.

Speaking of lunch, he hadn't fed the boy yet. He contemplated waking him but decided against it. A late lunch had never hurt anybody. Besides, he was comfortable.


	11. Chapter 11

Spencer was awake.

He kept his breathing even and tried not to wiggle too much. He liked this. Sprawled half across Gideon and the couch, he had been able to use the older man's chest as a pillow. His nap had dimmed the pain, but his butt still hurt- quite a bit, actually. He shifted slightly, hoping to make it feel less like it he had sat in a fire. He glanced up quickly, wondering how much longer he could soak up the relaxing silence. He wasn't too surprised when he saw Jason looking down at him.

He exhaled loudly and bit his lip before finally speaking.

"You spanked me..." He sounded vaguely incredulous-he had red about it-but it was different from what he had expected.

Jason gave an amused chuckle before sliding his hand down andgiving his lover's thoroughly heated backside a gentle squeeze.

"You complaining?"

"No, I was just..." Spencer trailed off, frowning a bit as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"You're thinking too much." He wanted to keep him well-spanked and all his for just a little bit longer.

Without another word, Jason ducked his head down and brushed a kiss against his boy's warm, still sleepy soft mouth. Over the next few minutes, the already intimate kiss deepened. It was obvious who was dominating the kiss. but Spencer was far from passive as he nipped gently at Jason's lips, soothing the tiny burns he created with the slide of his tongue.

Both men were caught in a sensual haze over the next several minutes. For a few moments their entire universe consisted of nothing behind the stroke of their tongues and the taste of their mouths. Jason's fingers were threading through his hair almost restlessly.

A lack of air finally forced them both to pull away for a moment, but with Jason's palm still cupped possessively around his still warm bottom, the mood was far from lost. Then Jason shifted against him, and, with a muffled groan, Spencer was suddenly hyper aware of the fact that he was only in his boxers and a T-shirt.

"We should..." Spencer began, still taking deep breaths.

"Bedroom..."

"Yeah."

XxXxXx

Whoever had started the rumor that Spencer Reid in bed was probably a confused blushing virgin was sorely mistaken. Jason stared thoughtfully at the long -imbed man sprawled naked beside him. Spencer wasn't as naive as he looked. Jason hadn't learned half the things they had just done until he had gotten married.

"I read a lot..." Spencer offered, looking over at him. He could practically feel the older man's confusion.

Jason chuckled softly. "Reading doesn't teach you everything."

"You don't know what I've read," he said giving a slow smile.

Jason blinked-that was a good point. There were a lot of books out there, and Spencer had an eidetic memory...

"Wanna see what else books have taught me?"

XxXxXx

"You could stay the night..." Spencer began, his eyes glued to the blue comforter spread over his lap. He traced the squares for a second before speaking, and Jason could tell that was more to fill the silence than anything else.

"Actually, it would save you time since I live a full fifteen miles closer to the BAU than you do. And with the traffic from your area..."

Jason had pressed his finger against his mouth, shutting him up. He would have hated it if Jason hadn't been looking at him like he was.

"I can stay, if you want me too?" Jason had left it an open ended question and waited a moment before he removed his finger, albeit reluctantly.

Spencer swallowed, his confidence from earlier gone. "Could you?"

"Gladly." He settled back against the mussed covers. He had a change of clothes in his car. He'd get it before the night was over.

XxXxXx

Spencer was starving. He had ran around all morning, been spanked, slept, and then spent the last hour or two getting good and sweaty with Jason. And all he had eaten that day was a bowl of granola.

His stomach had been growling quietly at him for the past ten minutes. He wasn't against eating- he just didn't want to move. He was comfortable. Jason had wrapped him in a blanket and was humming something. It didn't matter what it was; what mattered was that he was enjoying it. A missed meal had never hurt anyone.


	12. Chapter 12

Thank you guys, all the reviews... So nice to me!

Beta'd by the-vampire-act

* * *

He should have eaten.

Spencer could hear his stomach complaining about its lack of food. He and Jason had been asleep for a few hours before JJ had called with a case. It was never fun, but this one was particularly disturbing.

Three girls all between the ages of nine to eleven years old had gone missing. No bodies had been found as of yet, but their parents had all received envelopes. No return address, they had been left in the mailboxes. The BAU had been contacted when the second package came in. The families had been instructed to leave them sealed- anything could be kept in an envelope from anthrax to a low level explosive.

Spencer stared at the files bleary eyed; he was hungry and still mostly asleep. He gulped at his cooling coffee while Hotch continued to gesture at the white board.

"Wheels up in twenty," he heard as the room emptied, and the familiar adrenaline buzz raced through him-the heady rush of knowing he was going out to catch the bad guys. He was going to help end someone's nightmare.

Spencer stood and almost immediately fell back on ass. As it was he had had to grip the table to keep himself upright while the room whirled and the blood in his head pounded. Caffeine and adrenaline had combined and left him light-headed. He blinked a few times to clear his vision before straightening up and grabbing his messenger bag from the round table.

Jason was staring at him from across the room but thankfully didn't make a scene. Spencer nodded his thanks, glad for both the concern and the discretion.

He groaned internally as he realized who else had seen his little episode. Derek was coming over, his usual sauntering walk diminished by his current concern. He brushed his friend off, hoping the man would just drop it.

He did, but continued following him at close range as though worried he would fall over.

Spencer resolved to grab a muffin from the mini-fridge on the plane. It wasn't much, but it would keep him from passing out somewhere.

XxXxXx

Hotch was observant. He had been since early childhood, especially when noticing tiny changes in facial expressions could mean the difference in simply getting yelled at or getting smacked halfway across his bedroom.

He had perfected the skill in the courtroom. He had been watching the witnesses and their lawyers, even the judges. He knew when a person was lying, when they were telling the truth, and when they were just omitting things. He knew his colleagues as well, and Jason was hiding something. Something big.

He didn't really want to pry into the older man's business, but distractions were dangerous, and he couldn't have member of the team not fully in the case.

He gathered a few items from his desk while he made up his mind. By the time he was ready to go, Hotch had reached a decision- he'd speak to Jason about whatever was on his mind while they were on the plane.

XxXxXx

Jason watched as Spencer stood up only to grab the side of the table and close his eyes. He debated his options. One side yelled for him to get over there and see what was wrong, while the other said that his new boyfriend did not need him smothering him. He could practically see Spencer's face as he complained about not being a child and being perfectly capable of handling himself.

He comprised by giving the younger agent a curious look. There, he had expressed interest, and if Spencer wanted to share, he knew Jason cared, but he hadn't rushed over and embarrassed him.

Unlike Morgan, who had noticed his friend's actions and, in typical fashion, called attention to it; he was frowning and making his way over to the younger man.

"Need some help?" The concern in his voice was practically tangible. He held his arms slightly outstretched as if he would pick Spencer up if he so much as coughed.

Spencer glared at the overly protective gestures, pushing himself off the edge of the table ad grabbing his bag to go.

Jason watched the continuing exchange with a slight smile. The two acted like siblings, teasing and worrying in equal measure. He was glad; Spencer needed friends more than he needed colleagues.

XxXxXx

"Jason, I know that this is really none of my business, but I need you to know that whatever relationship you have going on at the moment... It can't interfere with the job."

"It won't." Jason never glanced up from his book.

Hotch stood for a moment, waiting. Jason looked up curiously.

"Anything else?"

"I'm glad you found someone."

With a genuine smile, he replied, "Me too."

XxXxXx

Tension radiated throughout his body. It tightened his stomach into a ball. It made his head hurt so he could barely think straight, and his hands were sore from being clenched into fists. He knew it was irrational, but he was an adult. He could have a responsible relationship with a colleague and not let it interfere with his job.

Hotch kept talking. Spencer was silently wishing, praying, pleading for the older man to just shut up, but he kept asking his asinine questions. He kept saying that he was just concerned for his teammate and making sure the team dynamics weren't interfered with. He ended his awkward speech with an even more awkward

"I know it's none of my business, but I had to check..."

Spencer glared and pointedly opened his book to its previous page. His face was almost violet from embarrassment.

"You're right, it really isn't your business, and I can have a romantic relationship with whomever I choose."

Hotch's mouth tightened and he gave a slight nod, trying to be polite. He knew he could bring up rules and regulations about fraternization, but it wasn't necessary. He knew the conversation was embarrassing, he thought for a moment before finally saying that he hoped everything went well.

"Thank you." Spencer was slightly less hostile, but he was still uncomfortable. Hotch walked away, seeing that it was a lost cause.

Spencer glanced toward the small kitchenette and his stomach roiled, the idea of eating actually making him nauseous. He figured he'd be okay until later.


End file.
